A Predictable Christmas Story
by pandaman67
Summary: Nick and Judy have a small conversation about horrible, predictable Christmas movies. WildeHopps. Oneshot.


**Author's Note: Just something that I spent about an hour on that I hope everyone can enjoy. Merry Christmas!**

"I still don't understand how you can stand to watch these movies, Fluff," Nick stated before tossing a piece of popcorn up into the air. He missed his mouth, again, and had to dig his paw in between the folds of Judy's comforter to retrieve it. Judy just rolled her eyes and licked another envelope before closing it.

It was only a few days before Christmas, and Judy had decided to invite Nick over to her apartment while she finished up her Christmas cards. The two of them sat on Judy's bed while her laptop live streamed Christmas rom-coms from the Hallbark Channel.

"I already told you Nick. It's a tradition." Judy adjusted the clipboard in her lap before continuing. "Every year around Christmas, my mother and a whole bunch of us would gather in the family room to write our Christmas cards. Since we all had so many friends and relatives, it was a pretty big event. And while we all wrote our cards, this channel would always be playing in the background." Clicking her carrot pen a few times, she decided to begin writing Chief Bogo's card next.

"Come on Carrots. I thought you were all about breaking traditions. Why is _this_ the one you have to keep?" Judy was about to roll her eyes again, but decided it wasn't worth the effort. "I mean, seriously! These movies are always so predictable."

"Some people like predictable," Judy said, looking up from her letter. "Around Christmastime, a lot of people just sit back with a nice, _predictable_ movie and relax. They want to feel warm and fuzzy. They don't want some intense, violent action movie." Nick opens his mouth, about to speak. "If you mention _Die Hard_ , I will throw your Christmas present into Sahara Square traffic during rush hour." The fox quickly filled his mouth with popcorn.

Once Nick swallowed, he looked back at the screen. After a few minutes, he let out a loud sigh. "What now?" Judy asked, not looking up from her card.

"Are you even listening to this dialogue?!" Realizing that Judy hadn't been paying attention, Nick stood up and rewound the movie by a few seconds. On screen, a mare and a tigress were walking through a mall. They appeared to be shopping for clothes.

 _"_ _So Taylor," the mare began, "do you think Andrew is going to ask you to the Christmas Gala?" The tigress seemed shocked by the statement, but continued looking at price tags._

 _"_ _I already told you, Andrew and I are just friends. Besides, he already asked Aimee to the Gala."_ Nick paused the movie there.

"Do you see what I mean?" he asked, gesturing to the screen. Judy set her materials down. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get anything done until this matter was resolved.

"Not really," she said, crossing her arms. Nick looked disgruntled.

"Every single one of these movies is exactly the same. No one with eyes would believe Andrew and Taylor are "just friends," Andrew's sudden girlfriend was thrown in to add some unnecessary angst, and I've never even heard of this "Christmas Gala" until this scene. I've actually never heard of those existing in the real world either." Judy considered his words, and sadly agreed with all of them. "I just find the whole thing entirely unrealistic." Something inside Judy clicked when he said that.

"No it's not." She said softly. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked.

"No, it's not unrealistic," she said. She turned to him, and looked him in the eye. "Think about it. You being here, this conversation we're having right now, it could all be considered part of a forced story plot." Nick cocked his head to the side. Judy scooted over, until she was right up against him. "Pretend for a moment that we were into each other," Judy began. Nick's eyes widened, but he said nothing. "I'm home alone writing Christmas cards, and I suddenly think, 'Oh, I'm lonely. I know! I'll call my very best friend, who I totally _don't_ have a crush on, over to visit with me while we watch rom-coms.' You show up, of course, because you're so infatuated with me that you'd never turn me down. We begin watching movies, you complain that the romance is unrealistic… And then we get back to this conversation and things get kinda meta." A sly grin grew across Nick's face.

"But of course, if this _was_ a sappy Christmas story," Nick said, "I'd then say something to progress the plot, like…" He straightened up, and then put a loving look on his face that Judy had seen on him occasionally, but now looked forced. " _It seems to me like you wish you had a Christmas romance like the ones on TV. Maybe you even have a guy in mind._ " His voice was smooth, and his tone was loving.

Judy smiled, and then forced her face to match Nick's. " _Oh, I have someone in mind, but I don't think he feels the same way_ ," she said, looking into Nick's eyes for a moment before suddenly looking away. The fox suddenly, yet gently, placed his paw on top of hers. She shifted her gaze back into his eyes.

" _Well, you'll never know if you don't ask._ " They began to lean closer together.

" _Oh, but I'm too shy. I simply couldn't._ "

" _Then I will_." Nick suddenly jumped off the bed, and got down on one knee. " _Judy, I love you. I have for whatever amount of time would make this moment the sappiest. Will you go to the Christmas Gala with me?"_ Judy laughed.

" _Oh, Nick! I love you too! Of course I'll go to the Christmas Gala with you!_ " She hopped down from the bed and into Nick's arms. They embraced for a moment, and then looked each other in the eyes. Suddenly, they leaned their heads closer together until their lips touched.

It took a brief moment, but both of their eyes suddenly widened, and they quickly stepped apart from each other.

"I'm sorry," Nick said. "I… I thought you were going to pull away."

"I thought _you_ were going to," the rabbit stated. Both stood still for a moment, before they burst out laughing. They both fell back onto Judy's bed, and continued laughing until it hurt.

"Now that," Nick said when his laughter finally died down, " _that_ makes it exactly like a sappy Christmas story."

Judy opened her mouth to comment, but her phone suddenly buzzed. Still giggling, she picked it up off the end of the bed. "It's a text from Clawhauser," she said, and began reading the message aloud. "Hey Judy! Sorry it's late, but I wanted to ask if you would be interested in attending the Precinct One Christmas Party tomorrow night. Sorry that it's so late, but it took a while to decide on a theme. This year, it'll be…" Judy trailed off.

"Is something wrong?" Nick asked. He sat up, and tried to read over her shoulder. "What's the theme?" Judy turned to him and smirked.

"With the way this night is going, what do you think it is?" Judy handed her partner her phone, and Nick finished reading the message.

"This year, it'll be a Christmas Gala theme, so it's kinda implied that you need a date. No pressure though! Hope to hear from you soon. XOXO." Nick handed the phone back to Judy. "If I hadn't just spent the last few minutes laughing, that's what I'd be doing right now." Judy smiled.

"So, what do you think?" Judy asked. "Should we go? Together, I mean. As a date." If the room hadn't been dark, Nick would have been able to see her blushing. For a moment Nick didn't respond, and Judy got nervous. "I mean, after we kissed, I sorta thought it was because we liked each other, but if you don't-" Nick held a finger to her lips to silence her. Getting off the bed, he got down on one knee like he did before. This time, however, nothing seemed forced. His eyes seemed to glow.

"Judy Hopps, I think I'm falling for you." Said rabbit let out a small gasp. "I think I have been for a while now. I want to take a chance and see how it goes. Will you go to the Christmas Gala with me?" Judy smiled, and it was sincere.

"Oh Nick," she said softly, "I think I'm falling for you too. Of course I'll go with you." She hopped off the bed, and the pair embraced once more.

And of course, they lived happily ever after. Did you expect anything less?


End file.
